


Family dinner

by LeeGale



Series: Ad lunam, ut amica, ut mi stultus [5]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Background Character Death, Kinda, M/M, Pining, it's important but not a main character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:21:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23620756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeeGale/pseuds/LeeGale
Summary: After sunday, Mishima missed school for a couple of days. Of course, Kurusu is worried...
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Mishima Yuuki, Kurusu Akira/Mishima Yuuki, Mishima Yuuki & Sakura Futaba, Mishima Yuuki/Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: Ad lunam, ut amica, ut mi stultus [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1695079
Comments: 6
Kudos: 39





	Family dinner

Mishima didn't go to school for two days after his parents died. The police had first suspected that it was a case of mental shut down, but when Mishima had returned home that fateful night, he had found a note. It turned out, his father was suicidal. He had actually planned on killing both his son and his wife on that day, but young Mishima had gone to see Kurusu, so he could only take his wife... The note scared Mishima. It went into detail about how badly he treated his son, about how abusive he was, how he had ignored how Kamoshida abused him too... It was dark, twisted, evil, and reminded him why he hated his father so much... Still, he had had to prepare the funeral. He was his parent's only living relative, and neither really had friends, so the task fell on him. He had planned it, and it was all set to happen on Sunday. Until then, though, he decided he wanted to go to school. He couldn't stay at his house...  
The only damn reason he was allowed to live on his own was that his parents had owned their house and left it to him in their will. If they hadn't, he would have been forced to live somewhere else... Still, he took it as a small blessing. Despite all the shit that his parents had done to him, they at least left him somewhere to live and enough money to last him a while. Although, he knew he'd have to pick up a job, which meant he'd have less time for the Phansite. Maybe he could ask Sakura to help him? She was good with computers, and if they split the workload between them, it would be easier to handle...  
That was what Mishima considered as he walked into his homeroom class the day he returned to school, on Wednesday. Due to his situation, the teachers had been sending him some work to do, so he wasn't behind. Still, it felt weird to return to school after Sunday. Mishima was glad for the distraction as he ran through the motions of school. At lunch, however, he was ambushed when he left the toilets. Sakamoto, Kurusu, Takamaki and Niijima were waiting outside, leaning against the wall opposite before straightening when they caught sight of the bluenette. Kurusu was next to him in an instant, frowning slightly, but Mishima just forced a smile as Takamaki stepped closer.  
"Are you alright, Mishima? You left so suddenly, then you haven't been in school for two days..." she asked, frowning too as she placed a soft hand on Mishima's shoulder. He flinched away so hard he nearly bumped into Kurusu, causing Takamaki to pull her hand away quickly. Mishima internally cursed himself for a moment as he forced a smile onto his face, ignoring how shakey it felt.  
"I... I'm fine." he lied, a hint of panic in his tone that he tried to quell, "I'm fine."  
None of the people around him seemed sure, but Kawakami walking over saved him. At least, he thought it would, but then Kawakami actually spoke.  
"Hi, Mishima. How you holding up?" she asked softly, frowning, and Mishima knew that the others would want to know what was wrong even more. He still forced a smile.  
"I'm alright." he lied again, but Kawakami raised an unimpressed eyebrow. It was quiet for a long moment before she sighed, frowning again as she examined Mishima.  
"I won't press. But please remember I am here if you need to talk." she said softly, sending Mishima a soft smile before focusing on the other four, "You're his friends, right? Make sure he's okay."  
With that, she left, not giving Mishima a chance to protest. Instead, he sighed and focused on the group next to him. They were all frowning, weirdly concerned as they watched him. He felt his throat tighten slightly, unused to anyone caring at all, but pushed through it as he hesitantly spoke.  
"I... Would it be alright if we met at LeBlanc after school? I... I can't talk about it here..." he muttered, ducking his head slightly. A soft hand landed on his shoulder, making him flinch, but he relaxed when he realised that it was just Kurusu.  
"Of course." the taller boy stated, smiling reassuringly at Mishima before frowning slightly, "Do you have lunch today?"  
Mishima was tempted to lie, but he knew Kurusu would want to make sure he was actually eating, so he just shook his head. Kurusu's frown deepened, but Mishima cut him off quickly.  
"I've had a lot on my mind recently. Please. Don't... don't press. Not here." there was a quiet hint of desperation in his voice that stopped Kurusu from asking anything. He frowned but nodded, although he did insist that Mishima shared his lunch. The latter tried to argue, but Kurusu led him back to class with a soft hand on his upper back, sitting him at Takamaki's desk (after turning the chair so they could face each other). He pulled out a box, placing it on the desk and ignoring Mishima's protests.  
"I... Kurusu! It's your food. You need it-"  
"You're skinnier than me, Mishima. You need to eat more than I do." Kurusu cut him off, sending him a meaningful look. Mishima still tried to argue, but Sakamoto cut him off, having followed them to their classroom. He and the two girls stood to the side of the desk, blocking it from the view of any curious on-lookers.  
"Dude, don't even argue with Akira. Either you eat now, or he makes you curry later. You're choice." he stated, making Mishima waver. He didn't want Kurusu to go out of his way to make curry... He sighed and took the sandwich Kurusu handed him, biting and chewing slowly. He was quiet for the rest of lunch, but he did smile slightly at the end to show how grateful he was. He paid just enough attention to class to make sure he could answer if called upon (he wasn't, thankfully) before sighing at the end of the day. He didn't even have the chance to stand up before Kurusu and Takamaki were at his desk, waiting expectantly. He stood silently, pulling his bag onto his back and pushing his chair under his desk before looking at the pair. He sighed again before speaking.  
"Are we meeting Niijima and Sakamoto there or at school?" he asked, one hand reaching up and rubbing his eyes as the other gripped the strap of his bag tightly.  
"We're meeting them by the front gate," Takamaki replied, causing Mishima to nod and start walking. It was quiet as they walked, Kurusu and Takamaki unsure as to what they should say and Mishima too caught up in his own mind to speak. The only sound any of them made was when they got to the gate and Takamaki greeted Niijima and Sakamoto, but then the group was silent as they made their way to the train station. It was unfortunately busy when they got there, so they all had to squeeze as tightly together as they could. Mishima felt his heart jump into his throat, but Kurusu placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder caught his attention. The taller teen sent him a concerned look, to which he responded but mouthing 'crowds'. Kurusu nodded, understanding, before hesitating. He leaned down and whispered into Mishima's ear, ignorant as to how it made the smaller's heart thump wildly.  
"Hold my arm. I'll keep you safe." his voice was smooth, sending a blush to Mishima's cheeks. The bluenette hesitated, but a sudden movement had him flinching away from the stranger at his back and closer to Kurusu, gripping the sleeve of his jacket. He almost pulled away when he realised what he had done, but Kurusu placed a protective hand on his back and kept him close, so he stayed, basking in the closeness. Even if the circumstances were less than ideal, Mishima wanted to stay like that, to stay close to Kurusu... Although, that probably stemmed from the fact that no one had touched him without hurting him in years...  
None of them spoke for the rest of the journey, not even when Mishima pulled away from Kurusu with a flushed face. They stayed quiet as they walked to LeBlanc, the silence suffocating until they arrived. The scent of coffee and curry seemed to relax all of them, and both of the Sakura's looking over at them further relaxed most of the group (it made Misima tense up slightly, but he ignored that). The younger Sakura got up from her seat, eyeing Mishima momentarily before focusing on Kurusu.  
"I didn't know we were meeting up today," she stated, eyes drifting over to Mishima, who ducked his head slightly and shrunk into himself. Of course, she was confused as to why he was there. He wasn't one of them...  
"We're not," Kurusu spoke up, placing a soothing hand on Mishima's shoulder, "We're checking if Mishima is okay, after Sunday."  
"Did something happen on Sunday?" Sakura -Boss, Mishima's mind supplied, it'd be less confusing to call him Boss- asked, tilting his head as he watched the group. Mishima froze again, uncomfortable with telling an adult, but Niijima spoke up for him.  
"Mishima had to leave early, and he hasn't been in school since. We just worry," she replied, but Boss frowned. He considered it for a moment before a look of understanding crossed his face.  
"You're Aku and Hotaru's kid," he stated, causing Mishima to stiffen more as he blinked in surprise. He frowned and tilted his head.  
"You knew my parents?" he asked, the use of past tense causing the other teens around him to share a concerned look. Boss sighed, nodding as he replied.  
"Yeah. We worked together for years and kept in contact after I retired," he explained, and Mishima raised an eyebrow. He considered it for a moment before sighing and asking another question.  
"Do you wish to be put on the guestlist?" his voice was tired as he considered how much effort adding him to the list would be, but considering it was a small funeral anyway, it shouldn't have been too much of a bother. One more guest added to a list of just four shouldn't be an issue...  
"That would cause you problems if you already have a list," Boss argued, but Mishima sent him a flat look.  
"Only five people will be there, including myself and the priest," he stated, sighing and continuing when Boss looked surprised, "They didn't have any other family, and they had barely any friends."  
Boss looked like he wanted to say something, but his daughter spoke up first, a question tumbling out of her lips, "Why are you talking about your parents in the past tense?"  
Mishima hesitated before sighing, replying with a tired, "They died on Sunday. That's why I had to leave."  
The reaction was instantaneous. Kurusu swore quietly under his breath and pushed Mishima onto a chair, muttering something about making him a drink as he moved away. Takamaki and Niijima gasped before rushing to ask how he was, if there was anything they could do, how they could help. Sakura was frowning but moved closer, patting his back awkwardly as she pulled out her phone and started typing at it with her free hand. Sakamoto swore too, but he made sure to sit on the chair next to Mishima and place a soothing hand on his back. The bluenette blinked in surprise at the sudden change and his throat tightened. He took a moment to make sure he didn't cry as soon as he opened his mouth before speaking.  
"I'm fine, guys. Seriously," he stated, the lie rolling off of his tongue smoothly. He knew he wasn't really, but the pain of his parent's deaths hadn't set in yet. He wasn't sure it would, really, since he didn't actually care about them. He hadn't in years. And that may sound cold and callous, but it was true. They had hurt him in so many ways, hadn't cared for so long, had told him he was useless and unwanted and a waste of space... He didn't love them. He knew he might hurt, eventually, but he didn't at the time. None of the others knew that, though, so they continued to fuss. Sakamoto moved when Kurusu was finished with the coffee, letting the bespectacled boy sit where he had been. Mishima opened his mouth to argue, to say he didn't need the others to worry so much, but Sakura spoke up first.  
"You may feel okay now, but it'll kick in soon. It's only been a couple of days, you-"  
"Stop." Mishima cut her off, voice tired as he sighed, "I've already been given that spiel. But. I. Am. Fine. And even if it eventually hurts, I'll get over it. Pain has never stopped me before."  
It was quiet for a moment before Boss sighed and spoke up, "What are you doing for living arrangements?"  
"I'm sixteen, so I am allowed to live on my own if I have somewhere. Which I do, because my parents left their house to me." Mishima replied, thankful for the change of topic Boss frowned though.  
"What about food and bills?" he asked, stepping closer.  
"My parents owned the house, so I don't have to pay off the mortgage, and they left me enough money for a couple of months. I'm going to get a job, but I have plenty of things I can sell if I'm particularly stuck." Mishima replied, taking a small sip of his coffee. Boss didn't stop looking concerned, so Mishima sighed and continued, "Even if I can't find a part-time job at a shop or something, I can freelance. One of my mom's friends is a freelance computer specialist. I have enough skills to pursue that career if necessary."  
No one seemed happy with that, so Mishima sighed again and continued again, "I can look after myself. I-"  
"You can work here." Boss cut him off, causing him to blink then frown.  
"No, I don't want to be a bother. Really, it's-" again, Boss cut him off.  
"I need extra help anyway. Akira can't help as often as I need, so you'd be useful," he stated, but Mishima didn't feel comfortable. No adult had been kind to him for years, so he couldn't trust Boss, no matter how nice he seemed...  
"Take him up on it," Kurusu muttered, frowning as he examined Mishima. The bluenette frowned too, shaking his head.  
"I... I can't. Not if he worked with my parents." his voice was small as he shrank in on himself, shaking slightly. Anyone who worked them had to be as bad as they were, couldn't be nice, no matter the act they pulled. Even Boss, who was frowning as he examined the small teen.  
"We worked in different departments. We only talked 'cause we had our breaks at the same time," he stated, but Mishima continued to shake. He couldn't spend too much time with anyone who was like his parents, he knew that they'd just end up hurting him, that he'd just get hit again, that-  
"Tell you what." Boss speaking up caught Mishima's attention, "You don't need to gimme an answer yet, but the offer is on the table for if you ever wanna take it."  
Mishima hesitated before smiling slightly, gratefully, and Boss just nodded before continuing to talk, "You mentioned putting me on the guestlist. When's the funeral?"  
"The wake is on Saturday and the actual funeral is on Sunday," Mishima replied, earning a nod from Boss, "The wake will be from 4:30 to 6 in the afternoon, and the funeral will be from 10 am to 2 pm."  
"I'll come if it won't be too much of a bother to put me on the guest list," Boss stated. Mishima smiled slightly at him, already pulling out his phone.  
"Give me ten minutes," he said, sliding off of his seat and moving to a corner before ringing the cremation company he was using. It did only take ten minutes since the wake was happening at his house and for the actual funeral, it was such a small party that they were willing to have extras. If more people had been there, it would have been a struggle... He walked back over to the counter.  
"The wake is at my house. For the funeral, we're all meeting at my house too before travelling," he stated, and Boss nodded.  
"Your parents told me where they lived, so I should be able to make my own way there," he said, passing Mishima his unfinished coffee. The teen took it with a small smile, nodding in understanding before yawning. He hadn't been sleeping again, too busy with sorting everything out and trying to keep on top of the Phansite for his mind to shut up long enough to rest. He felt a hand on his shoulder before he looked over, blinking tiredly up at Kurusu, who was frowning. He seemed worried... That made no sense to Mishima, who smiled slightly up at the other to try to calm him. The way Kurusu's frown deepened showed that it hadn't worked.  
"You should stay here tonight. You look like you may pass out if you try to go home," he said, hand rubbing soothing circles into Mishima's back. The smaller tried to argue, but another yawn escaping him showed that Kurusu may have been right. Still, he couldn't just stay at someone else's.  
"I... I don't-"  
"You won't be a bother." Kurusu cut him off. Mishima raised a disbelieving eyebrow, tilting his head to the side as he looked flatly at the other. His brain supplied that he was always a bother, but he didn't say that aloud. At least, he didn't mean to, but the way Kurusu's frown deepened and everyone else looked concerned showed that his sleep-deprived brain lacked his filter, as per norm. He sighed, opening his mouth to speak again, but Kurusu spoke first.  
"You are never a bother. Not to me." his eyes burned with passion as his voice dripped with conviction, and Mishima couldn't help the mirthless laugh that slipped past his lips as he shook his head.  
"Need I remind you that I am the reason so many people at school hate you?" he asked, anger underlying the question as he looked down at his coffee. Hatred swirled in his gut, consuming him slowly. And as much as he loathed to admit it, the feeling was aimed at himself. He knew that he could have just told Kamoshida no whenever he asked of things like that, yet he hadn't. He had done it, too selfish to take the punishments and preferring that someone else got hurt. At least, he did at the time. But now that guilt gnawed at him, eating him from the inside every day... He regretted it. He-  
"I don't blame you for that," Kurusu stated, hesitating before taking Mishima's cup from his hand, passing it to someone else and pulling the bluenette into a tight hug. Mishima froze, unused to such affection. No one had hugged him in years... With that thought, a surge of emotions crashed into him, choking and drowning him as he helplessly grasped onto the back of Kurusu's jacket, shaking as silent sobs escaped him. Kurusu clearly didn't expect the reaction, but he hugged Mishima tighter, muttering quiet reassurances as he rubbed the smaller boy's back. No one knew how to react to seeing the teen break down, watching the pair hug silently for a long moment before all walking up the stairs to give them some privacy. Of course, Mishima didn't notice this, too caught up in the feelings encompassing him to take note of his surroundings. Kurusu did, though, and sent the others a thankful smile before he refocused on the crying teen.  
Mishima couldn't help it as his tears stained Kurusu's jacket, sobs filling the quiet room for a long while. He blamed himself for so much. For his father's suicide and the murder of his mother, for Suzui's suicide attempt, for how much the other Shujin students hated Kurusu, for not being able to help the Phantom Thieves more, for not being good enough. For all those students Kamoshida hurt in his place. For never stopping the man. For not being able to help more people. For breaking down at the first time someone hugged him. For falling in love with the first person who was kind to him. For-  
The door to the cafe opening had Mishima stiffening and trying to pull away from Kurusu, only for the other teen to hold on tightly. Mishima felt his heart stutter in his chest, but he forced Kurusu to let go as he wiped his face before focusing on the person who had walked in. She looked distinctly familiar... She blinked in surprise, tilting her head to the side as she examined Mishima. It was quiet for a long moment as they both stared at each other before Mishima recognised her.  
"Niijima-san!" he greeted, bowing slightly. She blinked in surprise, tilting her head to the side as a look of confusion before Mishima continued, "I'm Mishima Yuuki. You worked with my mother on a case, a little over a year. Um... It was that tourist, Michelle West?"  
A look of realisation dawned on Niijima's face as she made an understanding noise before speaking, "Oh! It's been a while, Mishima-kun. I'm surprised you remember me."  
Mishima shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck as he kept his head ducked, but another voice cut him off before he could say anything.  
"Sis?" called Niijima from the stairs, blinking in surprise at the sight of her older sister. Mishima froze at the sound of her voice before turning to face her, forcing himself to smile. The two sisters stared each other down for a long moment before the younger spoke up as she tilted her head, "You know Mishima?"  
"I worked with his mother last year." the older replied, pushing her hair over her shoulder as she walked over to her sister, "We met then."  
Mishima nodded when the younger looked quizically over at him before speaking up, "My mother was the primary government coroner. She helped when dealing with situations in which public figures, such as politicians or celebrities, or tourists were killed. Your sister and I met when my mother needed my advice on a case."  
"Why would your mother need advice?" Sakura pipped up, walking around the sisters and crouching on one of the seats at the counter. Mishima glanced at the older Niijima, unsure as to if he was able to disclose that information, but she just nodded.  
"The victim, Michelle, was my age, and it was believed that her murderer was probably the same age. My mother asked me to help because I knew Michelle and she figured that I probably knew the murderer too," he explained, shrugging. That drew a few surprised looks from Boss and the other teens, but the older Niijima speaking up distracted everyone.  
"And it turns out, he didn't. The murderer was actually Michelle's father," she stated, not looking up from her phone as she typed away at it. Mishima made a noise of agreement, but Niijima then looked up and frowned at him as she spoke, "You used past tense for your mother."  
"She died on Sunday," Mishima replied and Niijima made an understanding noise.  
"Is that why you were crying when I got here?" she asked softly, brow creased in sympathy. Mishima nodded, unwilling to spill the truth in front of everyone before asking Niijima why she was there. She smiled a little at him before replying, "I'm supposed to be meeting someone, but he's running late."  
Mishima nodded, but the door opening caught his attention. Akechi walked in, and the bluenette felt his heart freeze for a moment, but he hid it behind a polite smile. Something about the detective set him on edge...  
Akechi smiled when he saw who was in the cafe before greeting them, "I apologise for running late, Niijima-san, I lost track of the time whilst doing paperwork. And it's a pleasure to see all of you again. Especially you, Mishima."  
Mishima felt his skin crawl as Akechi smiled at him, but he feigned nonchalance as he smiled, "Pleasure to see you too."  
Akechi stepped closer, either ignorant to or not caring about how uncomfortable Mishima was as he dropped to his knee and grasped Mishima's hand, bringing it to his lips as he stared into the bluenette's eyes. Mishima had to fight the instinct to push Akechi away as he pulled his hand from his grip, his smile never faltering. Akechi stood, smiling charmingly at him before frowning slightly. He raised a hand towards Mishima's face, but the smaller teen flinched away so violently that he fell backwards into Kurusu, who caught him before he could do either of them damage. The bluenette pulled away with a blush, a hand coming up the rub his neck as apologies fell from his lips.  
"I am so sorry, I didn't mean to fall into you. I-"  
"Mishima." Kurusu cut him off, a small smile playing at his lips, "It's okay. It was an accident."  
Mishima didn't stop blushing, but he did stop talking. Although, his blush did get brighter when he realised that Kurusu was holding his arm, and didn't seem to want to let go...  
"I guess you were right, Akira." Sakura spoke up, smirking slightly as she eyed the three boys in the middle of the room, "Nishima must be the protagonist. He's even caught up in the middle of his own yaoi love triangle."  
Mishima couldn't help the laughter that burst from his lips at that, shaking his head slightly. Sakura raised an eyebrow at him and asked what was so funny, which he responded to with, "The chances of me being in a love triangle are literally zero."  
"Yet, here we are. Both Akechi and Akira have a thing for you." Sakura countered, causing Mishima to blush brightly as he shook his head, muttering about how neither did. Sakura's eyebrow climbed further up her forehead as she spoke again, "Akira's been crushing on you for ages, and Akechi literally just flirted with you."  
"Kurusu could do a million times better than me, as you can see by looking at literally any of his friends, and Akechi... Yeah, I don't trust his intentions." Mishima disputed, raising his own eyebrow as he stared Sakura down. She looked like she wanted to argue, but she was cut off.  
"You are acting as if Akira doesn't consider you his friend." young Niijima observed, ignoring the way Sakura playfully glared at her for cutting her off. Mishima didn't verbally reply, just sent her a flat look. He heard a sigh from over his shoulder as Kurusu moved his hand from his arm to his shoulder, catching his attention.  
"You are my friend," Kurusu stated, but Mishima shook his head and sighed too.  
"We've been over this before, Kurusu; you don't need to lie just because I'm useful," he said, a small, sad smile playing at his lips. Kurusu frowned, looking like he wanted to speak before being cut off.  
"Why would you think that?" Takamaki asked, frowning as she examined Mishima, "Akira isn't lying. He cares about you."  
Mishima sighed, shaking his head slightly as his smile became mirthless and his voice became bitter, "That what they all say. Before they stab you in the back."  
Takamaki's frown deepened, but Sakamoto spoke up first, "Dude! Akira isn't like that."  
Mishima sighed, rubbing his brow before talking.  
"Look, I get it. You're trying to be nice. But you don't need to pretend." he stated, continuing when Sakamoto, Takamaki and Kurusu all made noises of argument, "Guys... I know, alright? I'm not your friend. You don't have to pretend."  
His voice was patient, almost like he was talking to a child who didn't understand something as his eyes became sadder than before. The rest of the group watched him, surprise radiating off of them as they frowned in concern. Mishima sighed again, rubbing his forehead in an attempt to stave off the headache that was trying to creep in as he spoke again.  
"Can we drop this? I need to head home soon..."  
"You're too tired to catch the train on your own! You'll probably get hurt or something..." Takamaki argued, but Mishima sent her a flat look.  
"I can defend myself," he stated, continuing when Takamaki looked unconvinced, "I do know how to fight."  
There was a moment of silence before Boss spoke up, a frown adorning his face, "Kid, you look like you might pass out at any second. Even if you get home safely, you'll probably be too tired to eat, and Akira's already told me he's worried about how little you eat."  
That made Mishima's face scrunch up in confusion as he tilted his head, his reply rolling off of his tongue without his permission, "Why would Kurusu even notice that? Or care?"  
"Because you've skipped, or at least tried to, lunch too many times to count, and you barely eat when we hang out. I have to force you to... And I care because I. Care. About. You." Kurusu piped up, moving so he was looking Mishima directly in the eye. The bluenette sent him an unconvinced look, so Kurusu pulled him into another hug. Mishima wanted to fight it, to not fall into the embrace he so desperately craved, but he couldn't. He instantly relaxed into Kurusu's hold, despite his brain screaming at him that he'd just end up being hurt. It had been so long since someone had touched him so kindly... It was quiet for a long moment as Mishima hugged back, unable to stop his arms as they wrapped around Kurusu's waist and his head as it ducked under Kurusu's chin. The only noise was that of breathing and distant traffic until Akechi spoke up, causing Mishima to stiffen.  
"If I didn't know better, Mishima, I would say you were touch starved." the detective observed, seemingly oblivious to how on edge his presence made Mishima as the bluenette pulled away from Kurusu with a shrug. He didn't get the chance to say anything in his defence, however, because the older Niijima sister spoke up first.  
"His parents were never very affectionate people and he seems to have issues trusting people, which probably stems from how much Kamoshida abused him, so he likely hasn't had someone touch him kindly in a long while." she stated, not looking up from her phone before she decided to focus directly on Akechi, "We're needed at work."  
Akechi nodded before focusing on Mishima, who wanted to pull away and hid when he placed a hand on his arm. The detective smiled as charmingly as he could, tilting his head to the side as he spoke lowly, "I'm always here if you need a... friendly touch."  
Mishima visibly recoiled at that, face scrunched up in disgust for a split second before he forced himself to smile politely as he replied, "I apologise, but you are not my type."  
"Ah? You are straight?" Akechi asked, tilting his head further to the side as he examined Mishima, who raised an eyebrow as he ignored how his skin crawled.  
"Bisexual, actually. Not that that matters much." he corrected, disgust creeping through his veins when Akechi smiled a little brighter than before.  
"Oh? Then why am I not your type?" he asked, his hand still in place. It actually tightened slightly, gripping Mishima's arm painfully, but the bluenette ignored that.  
"You're too fake." he replied, smiling politely before changing the subject, "Anyway, I believe you have work to do?"  
Akechi looked angry for a split second, the expression so fleeting that Mishima could have imagined it, before nodding and speaking, "I guess I will have to prove I am not 'fake' and earn your affections, dear Mishima. Until then, I shall see you again."  
With that, he turned and left. To anyone else, he may have seemed completely calm, but Mishima had spent so long watching body language to see if people were angry that the tightness of his jaw and the stiffness of his shoulders was obvious... It was quiet for a long moment before the older Niijima spoke up.  
"Why would you call Akechi fake?" she asked, tone genuinely curious as she looked at Mishima. The teen shrugged but did reply when Niijima sent him a flat look.  
"It's pretty easy to tell when someone is pretending to be charming. They put in too much effort to hide who they really are, so much so that it becomes painfully obvious that they aren't being truthful. Akechi is too charming to be real." he explained, earning an appraising look from Niijima. She hummed a note of curiosity before nodding, telling her sister she probably wouldn't be home for dinner and leaving. The room fell silent again before Sakamoto laughed loudly, grinning at Mishima.  
"You sure told him!" his voice was full of mirth as he stepped slightly closer to Mishima, "Good ta know I'm not the only one who sees that."  
Mishima opened his mouth to reply, but Kurusu cut him off.  
"I thought you found Akechi attractive," he stated, frowning slightly at Mishima, who shrugged.  
"Physically? He is. Very much so. But as an actual person? There's just something... off about him. And, as I said, he's just not my type." he replied, continuing when Sakura asked just how Akechi wasn't his type, "I wasn't lying when I said he's too fake. And I generally prefer quieter, cuter people to people like him, who are louder and egotistical."  
"You think Akechi is egotistical?" Niijima asked, stepping forward and frowning.  
"He wouldn't do so many interviews if he didn't have a massive ego to stroke. And he wouldn't act like he does if he didn't just want attention." Mishima shrugged, yawning again. He felt Kurusu push him towards a seat and couldn't fight it. He was really tired, despite what he said...  
"You said that you didn't trust his intentions too." Boss piped up, passing him a fresh coffee. The teen wanted to argue, but the look Boss sent him told him not to, so he sighed and took a sip before speaking.  
"Literally no one has shown interest in me before, then suddenly someone well known and really attractive starts flirting with me? Unlikely. And the way he looked at me was more like he wanted me to upset someone else than like he actually had feelings." he explained, shrugging slightly. Sakamoto gaped at him, raising an eyebrow.  
"But... dude, I'd be down to fuck you if I were gay," he argued, eyes wide in shock. Mishima laughed slightly at that, shaking his head.  
"A few things are wrong with that statement." he smiled somewhat at Sakamoto, who pouted, "One- you could probably have a whole hoard of people after you if you adjusted you attitude a little. Two- if you could even consider fucking me, even if it just an 'if I were gay' thing, that kinda implies that you aren't completely straight. Probably bi or something. Three- I've seen the way you look at Kitagawa, and there is nothing straight about that. Four- I'd much prefer to fuck my partner than to be fucked, thank you very much."  
Sakamoto openly gaped at him then, his cheeks flushed as Mishima took a nonchalant sip of his coffee. Inside, however, the bluenette was freaking out. He couldn't believe he had just spoken to Sakamoto like that, almost bantering... Sakamoto cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck as he muttered out a quiet, "I don't look at Yusuke in any way. He's a fucking weirdo."  
Mishima sent him a flat look, tilting his head as he raised an eyebrow. Sakamoto blushed brighter, but Sakura burst out laughing before he could speak.  
"Called it!" she called, grinning at Kurusu, who sighed and pulled out his wallet. He passed her some money as Sakamoto gaped at them, but Boss spoke first.  
"You two betted on your friend having a crush on one of your other friends?" he asked, mirth in his voice as he shook his head fondly. Kurusu and Sakura smiled innocently at him, making him laugh slightly before he turned to speak to Mishima, "For that, you have to stay here. Since you accidentally outed your friend."  
Mishima was suddenly seized with guilt as he frowned at Sakamoto, ignoring the friend comment as apologies fell off of his tongue quickly, "Shit! I'm so sorry Sakamoto! I didn't mean to! I... So-"  
"Dude, chill." Sakamoto cut him off with an easy smile, "I... You've given me something to think about. I never saw it that way, and I need time to think. But... You're probably right. Not sure if I'm bi for sure, but I'm probably somewhere in the community."  
Mishima hesitated, frowning for a moment longer, but Sakamoto seemed happy, so he smiled slightly. He considered it for a second before speaking.  
"I... Uh... I'm here if you have any questions." he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Sakamoto grinned at that, nodding and saying he'd ask away if necessary. Mishima smiled slightly, but Boss spoke up first.  
"You're still staying here tonight. Akira has a futon under his bed you can sleep on," he stated, and Mishima sighed again. He opened his mouth to argue, but all that came out was a loud yawn, so he eventually had to admit defeat. He did mutter about not wanting to be a bother one last time, but Kurusu told him he wasn't one, so he shut up. He was too damn tired to argue... He sighed, muttering out a quiet 'okay', which earned a bright smile from Kurusu. He blushed, ducking his head and taking a sip off his coffee. It was quiet for a long moment before Takamaki spoke up, saying that she, Sakamoto and Niijima had to leave. Sakamoto tried to argue, but Takamaki grabbed him by the ear and pulled him away, smiling innocently. Niijima sighed before following them, stating that she needed to make sure that Takamaki didn't kill Sakamoto. Once they were all gone, it fell quiet again...  
"Yo! Nishima, you mentioned that you like computers, right?" Sakura spoke up, staring at Mishima. The bluenette nodded, sighing as he told the ginger that his name was Mishima, not Nishima, but she waved him off as she continued, "You ever play any online games?"  
"Uh... I like Malt Mountain, but I prefer retro console games." Mishima replied, and Sakura grinned.  
"Retros? That's the only type Akira has! Wanna go play something whilst Sojiro and Akira make dinner?" she asked, but Mishima shook his head.  
"The least I could do is help make dinner," he argued, but Boss chuckling caught his attention. He cocked his head to the side, watching as Boss spoke up.  
"Kid, the least you could do is keep Futaba occupied. If she's left to her own devices, she'll probably hack some sort of government system." the older man stated, chuckling softly when his daughter pouted at him. Mishima couldn't fight it as a feeling of worthlessness clogged his throat. The trio in front of him was a family, and he was just an outsider, pretending to be one of them... Kurusu placed a hand on his shoulder, distracting him from his thoughts. The taller teen was frowning down at him, so he feigned a smile before Sakura speaking caught his attention.  
"Come ooonnnn Nishima!" she whined, pouting for good measure. Mishima was hit by the overwhelming urge to protect the small girl, something in him screaming that she was smol and precious and very much little sister like. He couldn't hold out when she pulled out the puppy dog eyes, rolling his eyes good-naturedly as he agreed to play games with her. She grinned, sticking her tongue out at Kurusu as she spoke to him.  
"Hah! Suck it Akira, I'm stealing your boyfriend for a few hours." she teased, and Mishima's cheeks flared up, his heart dancing suddenly. He attempted to argue but was promptly distracted by the adorable blush that painted Kurusu's cheeks as the taller teen told Sakura to just go play her games. She smirked before grabbing Mishima's arm, gently tugging him up the stairs with her. He sent Kurusu a pleading look, but the taller teen just smirked at him, so he frowned and pouted. When Sakura finally let go of him, they were already in Kurisu's bedroom. Mishima hesitated by the top of the stairs, only moving when Sakura tried to move the couch next to the TV and visibly struggled. He stepped forward and asked her to set up the console as he moved the couch. At first, she had tried t argue, saying she could help, but Mishima just pulling the couch away from the wall smoothly shut her up, and she got to work. It took Mishima less than two minutes to adjust the sofa so they could both sit comfortably on it and see the TV properly, so he sat as he waited for Sakura to make sure the console was sorted. When she finished, she perched on the other end of the couch (although, it was very small so she couldn't really leave much space between them). Mishima raised an eyebrow at the game that loaded, not expecting Kurusu to like that kinda game...  
"Do you not like it?" Sakura asked, passing him a controller. Mishima looked over at her, smiling slightly.  
"I used to play the single-player mode all the time! I just didn't realise Kurusu liked this kind of game," he explained, shrugging as he focused on the old Mario Kart game. Sakura grinned, refocusing on the screen as she spoke.  
"He only got it because Ryuji insisted he did, but I think he's played it by himself since. I mean, there's no way he's naturally as good as he seems!" her voice was teasing and a little fond as she spoke, causing Mishima to look ever at her.  
"You really care for him, don't you?" he asked, unable to stop the question falling from his lips.  
"Well, yeah. He helped save my life." Sakura replied, voice suggesting it was obvious. Mishima didn't quite know the story there, but he hummed quietly, mutter a quick 'mood' as he picked his racer. He could feel Sakura's gaze on the side of his face before she looked back at the TV. It was quiet as they chose characters and cars, the only time they spoke for a while being when they chose which races to do. When Sakura lost for the third time in a row, though, she spoke up.  
"How are you so good at this game?" she asked, her pout practically audible in her tone. Mishima smiled a little sadly at her, eyes downcast.  
"I did say I used to play the single-player mode a lot," he replied, shrugging as he tried to ignore how his mind remembered his long, lonely childhood, the pain and the sadness... Sakura frowned at him, turning to face him completely. She tilted her head, examining the bluenette for a long moment before speaking.  
"You won't let him call you his friend because you've been hurt so much before," she observed. Mishima stiffened, unnerved by how easily she saw through him, before sighing and releasing his tension. He hesitated for a long moment, staring at his hands as he fiddled with his fingers.  
"I... Uh... I haven't had any friends in a long time. No one has really wanted to be," he stated, sighing again as he looked out of the window. The sun was already setting...  
"Akira and the others were my first friends since before my mom died," Sakura whispered, also looking out of the window. It was quiet for a moment before she continued, "Not that I really had friends before that. I was too smart, too weird, too..."  
"Different." Mishima finished, agreeing slightly as he sighed again. They stayed silent for a while, both lost in thought...  
"Akira does care for you, you know," Sakura eventually spoke up, continuing before Mishima had the chance to argue, "He wouldn't put as much effort in as he does if he didn't."  
"I run the Phansite. That's all. He just needs me to be able to work well enough to keep on top of requests. Surely you understand that Miss Phantom Thief." Mishima countered, smirking at Sakura when she gaped at him. She frowned before sighing, looking out of the window again.  
"You've been neglecting yourself to run the site," she stated, and Mishima made a noise of agreement. It should have been obvious that he was, but he didn't mind...  
"It's my way of thanking him and Sakamoto. And probably Takamaki, I think she helped in the end..." he replied, a small smile tugging at his lips, "If they hadn't stopped Kamoshida... We probably wouldn't be having this conversation."  
That made Sakura whirl around to face him, but he kept his eyes on the sunset as he continued, "Kamoshida probably would have killed me by now..."  
"I... You... How are you so calm about that?" Sakura stammered, frowning at him as a sad smile played at his lips.  
"I figured fairly early on that the only reason Kamoshida didn't kill me was that people would have figured it out. And even if he didn't kill me, he was going to have Sakamoto, Kurusu and I kicked from school. If that had happened... I wouldn't be here." he replied, shrugging. Sakura frowned at that before a look of realisation dawned on her face.  
"Your parents..." she whispered, but Mishima flinched so violently he almost fell off the chair. He gazed at her, eyes wide with fear as he tried to lie. However, no matter what fell off of his tongue, she didn't look convinced, so he eventually gave up. He slouched into his seat, frowning.  
"Please... Don't tell anyone." he begged quietly, running a shaky hand through his hair, "The cops already know..."  
"How?" Sakura asked, shuffling slightly closer. Mishima hesitated before sighing, rubbing his eyes tiredly.  
"My parents died because my father wanted to commit suicide, and take my mother and I with him. Obviously, I was here at the time, so he just took mom and left a note. It detailed his plan and all of the things he and mom had done to me... I had to give it to the cops, so they found out then." he explained, closing his eyes so he could escape Sakura's pitying gaze. It was quiet for a long moment before Sakura sighed, placing a soft hand on Mishima's arm. He tensed but didn't pull away as Sakura spoke.  
"I don't really know much about that kinda thing, but... I'm here," she whispered, and Mishima found that he could believe her. Something about her seemed so honest. He opened his eyes and smiled slightly at her.  
"Thank you, Sakura," he stated, voice soft, and Sakura rolled her eyes.  
"Call me Futaba. All my friends do. And before you argue, we're friends. We just had a heart-to-heart, so we're friends." she said, and Mishima couldn't find it in him to argue.  
"Okay, Futaba." he replied, hesitating for a split second before his smile grew a little, "You can call me Yuuki, if you'd like."  
Sakura -no, Futaba- grinned at him and asked if he'd help her improve at Mario Kart. His smile grew into a grin as he agreed, helping her for a while, only stopping when Kurusu came up the stairs to tell them dinner was ready.  
When he sat down to eat, Mishima felt like maybe, just maybe, he wasn't quite the zero he had always been called...


End file.
